Croplife Ghana

"CropLife Ghana is the association of agrochemical importers and distributors in Ghana. It is currently made up of 16 major agrochemical companies and counting. CropLife Ghana controls about 90% of the fertilizer market as well as about 75% of the crop protection product (CPP) market."

Friday, 17 February 2017

Plant Biotechnology Cross-Platform Workshop in Ghana

CropLife Ghana, through the Cross-Platform
Initiative, has been organizing a series of awareness workshops on plant
biotechnology since 2014. This, to create a platform where experts from
industry, farmers, civil society organizations and stakeholders can discuss the
pros and cons of plant biotechnology and its effect on agriculture in Ghana.
This has also become even more relevant in the wake of discussions in recent
times on the media landscape and amongst Civil Society Organizations and
Research Institutions.

The 1-day workshop was to enlighten
CropLife Ghana members, Seed producers, Seed Traders Association of Ghana
(STAG) and opinion leaders by exposing them to the basics of plant
biotechnology and to the regulation of the technology in the country. This was
also intended to expose members to a “confined field trial” of a GM crop in the
country.

Specific Objectives of the day were:

To provide CropLife Ghana members, Seed
producers, STAG and opinion leaders in the Northern part of Ghana with
practical, evidence-based information on plant biotechnology and biosafety;To help neutralize the misinformation
regarding biotechnology and biosafety in the country;To provide a platform for an open interaction
among stakeholders on issues of concern with regards to biosafety;To give first-hand experience to CropLife
Ghana members, Seed producers, STAG and opinion leaders on a confined field
trial of a GM crop.

The workshop was organized by CropLife
Ghana, Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS) and the CSIR Savannah Agriculture
Research Institute (SARI).

Following the formal opening by William
Kotey, President of CropLife Ghana, Fred Boampong, Program Manager for CropLife
Ghana, gave a presentation on “CropLife Ghana’s stance on Agricultural
Technological Innovations”.

In his presentation, Dr. Ofosu (PBS)
covered the risk element of GMO technology. He stated that crops produced using
GMO technologies can be said to be safer than those using conventional plant
breeding procedures as the former goes through more rigorous tests.
“Conventionally produced crops are only assessed once they are ready for
release, but with GMOs, assessment begins from the lab to growth chamber to
confined fields before general release”.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) is currently undertaking field trials of GMO cowpea, cotton,
and rice before these are released onto the market. These crops are either
resistant to pests or tolerant to unfavorable soil conditions or have increased
nutrition values. They are not expected to reach the local market until after
2018.

Several Civil Society Groups have protested
the introduction of the technology, claiming there are inherent negative
health, environment and economic implications for their application, but
Director of BNARI, Prof. Kenneth Danso disagrees. He explained that the method
of GMO seed production is only an improved form of conventional breeding
procedures which is applied only when all other methods to fix a particular
food production challenge fails.

Prof Danso said GMOs will help enhance
productivity on the farms and ensure “food security, higher economic benefits
for farmers, a safe environment through reduced use of pesticides and
production of more nutritious crops.”

Former Director-General of the CSIR, Prof.
Walter Alhassan told participants the global GMO seed industry is growing
rapidly and Ghana must not be left behind in the spread of this technology
driving the agric sector. He quoted research from other parts of the world to
show that GMO seeds have increased the profit margins of farmers quite
dramatically.

Coordinator of the Seed Traders Association
of Ghana, Thomas Havor, said farmers are keen to get access to GMO seed
varieties, once they have gone through the necessary regulatory procedures,
saying “the earlier we get into production using GMO seeds, the better.”

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CropLife acts as an ambassador for the plant science industry, encouraging understanding and dialogue whilst promoting sound science and agricultural technology in the context of sustainable development